1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner for a liquid developer and a liquid developer using the toner for a liquid developer which are suitable for making a latent image, which is formed on a photoconductor, a visible image in electrophotography, electrostatic recording, or the like, and to an image forming device and an image forming method using the toner for a liquid developer and the liquid developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, devices utilizing an electrophotographic recording method are widely used as copiers, high speed/high printing quality printers, and the like. An electrophotographic recording method is a so-called Carlson process which, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,297,691 and 2,357,809, utilizes a photoconductor as a latent image recording medium, and carries out recording uniformly in seven processes which are image exposure, development, transfer, fixing, charge elimination, and cleaning. Namely, in the electrophotographic recording method, first, the surface of a photoconductor which is photoconductive is uniformly electrostatically charged either positive or negative, and after uniform charging, laser light or the like is irradiated. The surface charges at specific portions are eliminated so as to carry out image exposure which forms, on the photoconductor, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image information. Then, due to the formed electrostatic latent image being electrostatically developed by a toner, a visible image is formed by the toner on the photoconductor. Finally, this visible image is electrostatically transferred onto a recording paper and is fused and fixed by heat, light, pressure or the like so as to obtain a printed matter.
In recent years, as the processing speeds of computers have improved and the internet and intranets and the like have become more popular, the trend towards electronic graphics and documents has advanced. Accompanying this trend, the demand for a so-called POD (Print on Demand) system, in which only the necessary amount of highly detailed images of a level on par with that of conventional offset printing is printed at the needed time, has rapidly increased, and another look is being taken at the usefulness of wet-type developing systems which are advantageous in obtaining high image quality (Kurotori in xe2x80x9cJapan Hardcopy ""96xe2x80x9d, Ronbunshu, p. 153 (1996), Yoshino in xe2x80x9cJapan Hardcopy ""96xe2x80x9d, Ronbunshu, p. 157 (1996)). In accordance with a wet-type developing system, by handling toner within a carrier liquid, even if a small particle diameter toner, which is advantageous in obtaining higher image quality, is used, there are advantages as compared with a dry-type developing system, such as dirtying of devices due to the scattering of the toner can be prevented, inhalation of the toner by persons can be prevented, and the like.
However, when a wet-type developing system is used, as described above, in order to aim for higher image quality, a toner of a small particle diameter of 5 xcexcm or less is usually used. Therefore, the cohesive force between the toner particles is great, and it is easy for problems to arise in the dispersing of the toner. Therefore, problems arise with respect to reliability, such as the storage stability is poor, the image quality is poor, and the like.
Accordingly, currently, there is the strong demand for the development of a toner for a liquid developer which can achieve a reduction in the cohesive force between the toner particles, an improvement in dispersability, and the like.
An object of the present invention is to provide a toner for a liquid developer which has low cohesive force and excellent dispersion stability and storage stability and which enables formation of high-quality images and is highly reliable, and to provide a liquid developer which uses the toner for a liquid developer and which has low cohesive force and excellent dispersion stability and storage stability and which enables formation of high-quality images and is highly reliable, and to provide an image forming device and image forming method which enable formation of high-quality images.
The toner for a liquid developer of the present invention comprises an epoxy compound whose epoxy equivalent weight is 1000 or less.
The liquid developer of the present invention comprises the toner for a liquid developer of the present invention.
The image forming device of the present invention comprises an electrostatic latent image carrier; means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image carrier; means for developing the electrostatic latent image with a liquid developer, forming a visible image, and which accommodates the liquid developer of the present invention; and means for transferring the visible image onto a transfer material.
Because the toner for a liquid developer of the present invention contains an epoxy compound whose epoxy equivalent weight is 1000 or less, when the toner for a liquid developer is used in a liquid developer, the cohesive force is low, and the dispersion stability and storage stability are excellent. Thus, high-quality images can be formed, and the reliability is high.
Because the liquid developer of the present invention comprises the toner for a liquid developer, the cohesive force is low, and the dispersion stability and storage stability are excellent. Thus, high-quality images can be formed, and the reliability is high.
In the image forming device of the present invention, the means for forming an electrostatic latent image forms an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image carrier. The means for developing develops the electrostatic latent image with a liquid developer, forms a visible image, and accommodates the liquid developer. The means for transferring transfers the visible image onto a transfer material. As a result, a high-quality image can be formed on the transfer material.